Great Expectations Pt 3

Read 2 Peter 2:4

Vs 4:  “As you come to him, a living stone, rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious…”  I love how this verse gets personal as it says “As YOU come to Him…”  This tells us a lot.  It doesn’t matter what others think or perceive about the Messiah, it doesn’t matter what the historical records say on the subject, nor does it matter what the popular consensus is in regard to Jesus.  It says as YOU come to him.  This indicates people needing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Yes, he was rejected by the Jews and this is apparent in his crucifixion but what matters is that God has chosen him.  He was rejected by man but ordained by God so what does this mean to you? 

Sure Jesus may not have been what the people were expecting or maybe they felt He didn’t qualify for the position of Messiah, but the fact remains that He was chosen by God and this is qualification enough.  Unbelieving and stiff necked people may turn their backs on Him and reject His claims of equality to God but this does not change anything.  Jesus Christ is the Messiah. 

As I conclude I would encourage you to think about this stone that was rejected.  Think about the feeling of being let down because what you were hoping for wasn’t what you were expecting and let’s apply it to this Advent season.  Sure, we are going to get presents that we may not get excited about like socks, underwear and other things.  Let us not be blinded by things like gifts, parties, cookies, Christmas cards, trees, lights, decorations, and so on that we truly overlook the whole purpose of Christmas.  Kids are going to be let down because they didn’t get something, teens are going to get socks and underwear, adults we will get something that we have no need for, and some of us may not even get gifts at all.  Let us not dwell on these things.  Instead let us consider the stone that was rejected by its builders.  Even though the stone was rejected it didn’t change the fact that it was indeed the chief cornerstone.  It was/is the most important part of the building (the body of Christ), the essential parts; and there it sits rejected by many.  May we not set our expectations this Christmas on getting expensive gifts, having the most memorable family Christmas or getting so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season that we too overlook the true cornerstone, Jesus Christ, of our lives ?